Ongoing Course Assessment
survey

Overview

The Ongoing Course Assessment (OCA) system is a Web-based survey tool
that enables UT-Austin instructors to create instructional assessment
instruments to collect anonymous feedback from their students at any time
during the semester within a secure environment.

With OCA, you can implement surveys to assess instructional technology
in two ways. You can create your own template using OCA's question
library, or create your own survey by writing your own questions. Compare
OCA with other electronic survey tools.

Suggested uses of OCA surveys

Gaining anonymous
feedback and insight into student attitudes, satisfaction, and
outcomes about the instructional technology throughout a semester.

Measuring the effects of an instructional technology when used as
part of a single-group experiment.

Well-suited to courses already using Blackboard.

Works especially well for large classes.

Limitations of OCA surveys

Can only be used to survey students enrolled in a UT Austin course

Not suitable for collecting in-depth information.

Requires some knowledge or understanding of relevant issues in order
to write appropriate questions and properly organize a survey.

Resource requirements

A moderate level of knowledge about instrument design and writing survey
questions is required unless you are using previously existing survey
templates or items from the question library. In addition, training
or experience in using the OCA system is recommended. Students
must have computer access and an UT EID to access the OCA system. [more]

Planning your OCA survey

STEP 1. Describe the instructional technology and context

Include
the purpose of the instructional technology: the need it addresses,
its expected effects, current resources, and resources needed to implement.
Describe the users (education, motivation, skill levels), learning
objectives in relation to the technology, and the learning context. A
worksheet is available to help
you through this step.

STEP 2. Identify stakeholder needs and develop central questions

Central
questions identify what you and the stakeholders would
want to learn through the survey. For example, "What features
do instructors like about webcasting?" A worksheet is
available to help you identify stakeholder needs and develop
central questions.

STEP 3. Determine the purpose of the survey

A survey should
have a clear purpose and focus. Avoid the temptation of asking too
many questions in a single survey or surveying users "just
to see what's going on." Using your central questions as a guide,
specify how your survey will help you gain insight, change course
practices, or measure the effects of the instructional technology.
A worksheet is
available to help you develop and refine your study’s purposes.

STEP 4. Determine how you will use the results

How you intend
to use results should also guide the content of your survey. If the
answer to a survey question will not assist your instructional technology
assessment, leave the question out. A
worksheet is
available to help exemplify how to use results after determining the
purpose of a study.

STEP 5. Design the template

The OCA system enables you to create
a new template by selecting pre-existing questions or writing your own.
Selecting Tutorials under the OCA's Navigation Menu connects you to step-by-step
instructions for using these OCA features.

Using the
Question Library

Use the OCA Template Builder to create a new
template. [more] The
question library has a specific area just for assessing instructional
technology.

Editing the template

Once you have created a template and saved it in
your Personal Library,
you should review and edit it using the OCA's edit tool. The edit
tool allows you to insert text, insert questions, delete questions,
and organize questions. [more]